Clutching device



c. WINGER cnuwcnme DEVICE Filed Dec. 26. 1929 INVENTOR giii ATTORNEY I Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNETE stares.

Lsvaosi STOVER C. WINGERQOF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF FORTY PER GENT TO HENRY E LANPI-IER, OF BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, AND TWENTY PER GIIFNTT! TO BRUCE B. ROBERTS, 0]? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA cnurcnrne DEVICE Application filed December 251 929. Serial no. 416,417.

This invention relates to a device for clutching two parts together. Especially my device relates to such that are especially adapted to known and present obvious advantages not inconnection with screw drlvers, but

onl alsd in connect-ion with other tools, such as wrenches, drill braces, or the like. Once the article. upon which the tool is operating is engaged by the tool, a one-way drive such'as referred to makes it unnecessary to shlft the position of the hand with respect to the handle, as the tool operation proceeds.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a device of this general character which is very simple and inexpensive, and yet sturdy and reliable in use. 7

Although the mechanism can be applied to other types of hand tools, a screw driver w1ll be specifically described herein. In my device; it is possible to engage a screw with the blade, to hold the handle steady with the palm of the hand, and to start the screw simply by manual rotation of the blade with the thumb and forefinger. As soon as a good start is made, the handle can be manipulated as in the usual form of ratchet or friction drives.

My invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more easily apparent from a consideraaion of several embodiments of my invention. For this purpose I have shown a few forms in the drawing accompanying and forming part i of the present specification. I shall now pro ceed to describe these forms in detail, which illustrate the general principles of my invention; but it is to be understood that this de tailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of my invention is best defined by the appended claim.

Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is an elevation of a screw driver embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof; Fig. 3 is a detail enlarged section, taken along plane 33,0f Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3, but showing the mechanism in a difierent position Fig. '5 is a detail enlarged sectional view, taken along plane 5 5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 3, of 'a slightly modified form of construction. I I In general, the tool in connection with which I describe my invention, has an operating member 11, such as ascrew driver blade, having a shank 12. This shank is shown'as free to rotate in a metal member 13, to which is fastened, in any appropriate manner, asby' friction, a handle 14. The member 13 h'asa tubular extension 36 in which shank 12' is rotatable, andin which it is retained against axial movement, as by a key 37 and a grloov'e The member has a cylindrical cup portion through which shank12 extends, and which carries the clutching elements now tobet escrib-ed. j 7

As shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 8, a portion of shank 12 is flattened slightly, at several places, thus providing surfaces 15, 16 that are further from the inner surface '17 ofcup13,than the other portions of the shank surface. It thus happens that friction rollers orthe like 18,1 9, can be placed between these surfaces 15, 16 and the inner surface of cup 17,'iand there is a very slight clearance provided for these rollers. Let us assume, however, that handle 14L is turned in either direction; for example, clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3. Under such circumstances, rollers 18, 19 will be carried by friction in a clockwise direction, and will become wedged between the shank 12 and cup 17 as shown in Fig. 4. Since the space between the round part of shank 12 and surface 17 ispur- 14 in a counterclockwise direction will cause the rollers to wedge as before, the arrangement being symmetrlcal. Thus,-if no further provisions were made, the device would operate as any screw driver, the blade 11' being 7 advanced for either direction of rotation of handle 14.

In order to make the connection -operate at will in either of the two directions, I provide means for preventing the rollers 18, 19' from wedging, whenever it is desired to provide a slipping connection for either direction. Thus as shown in Fig. 4, I may provide obstructions 20, 21 in the path of the rollers 18, 19 when these rollers tend to move in a definite direction, as for example, counterclockwise. In the position shown in Fig.

4, and assuming that the obstructions 20, 21

y are in fixed relation to the shank 12, any

counterclockwise motion of cup 13 cannot provide any clutching efiect, because these obstructions will efi'ectively prevent rollers 18, 19from wedging action with respect to the shank. On the contrary, this wedging action is permitted for clockwise movement.

. Thus it is, apparent'that the proper onew-ay connection canbe secured by properpositioning of abutments 20,21; To, provide a slipping connectionfor a clockwise rotation,

obstruction 21 is moved to aposition where i it willprevent roller 18 from wcdging at the upper edge of surface 16 and similarly, ob- .struction 20 is moved to a; positionwhere it will prevent roller 19 from wedging at the low'eredge of; surface 15. W hen these obstructionsare in the intermediate position.

of Fig. 3, they are inactivelto prevent the wedging actions, and therefore the .tool' is operated just as if noclutching device were included.

In'the present instance, the obstructions 20,?

21 are shown as formed of resilient material. Each can be made from a pairof fiat springs, as indicated in Fig.2, held at one end in a.

ring 22 encircling shank 12. These ends are fastened in as by slots 23 in ring 22, and the slots can be closed as by upsetting the metal adjacent the slots. i

The free ends are spaced apart slightly. The resilience is provided for takingv up any inequality or inaccuracy in the parts, as it is apparent that close fits are essential to enable thedevice. to operateeffeetively. V

The angular position of obstructions 20, 21, with respect to the flats 15,16 can be adjusted by angularly adjusting ring 22 on shank 12. To hold this'ring in any of its desiredadjusted positions, I provide a snap catch such as ablunt nosed pin 24 (Figs. 2

and 5). This catch 24 is disposed in a radial aperture in the collar 25 formed as a part of ring 22. Its nose is arranged to cooperate with any one of three depressions 26, 27 28 in shank 12, corresponding to the three positions of obstructions 20, 21 with respect to shank 12. A ring spring 29 encircles collar 25 and one end engages a shoulder on pin 24 to urge it resiliently inwardly- Ring 22 preferably carries a knurl 30 on its outer surface, to facilitate this angular adjustment. It is also useful in making it possible to start a screw by rotating this collar by the fingers without moving handle 14." Thus assume that the blade 11 is to be rotated in a clockwise direction only, as is rendered possible by the position of Fig. 4.

Ring 22 can be freely rotated because there i is no tendency for rollers 18, 19 to wedge in either position. After the screw is started,

the tool can be operated inthe usual manner. In Fig. 6 Ishow a slightly modified form of construction. In this instance four balls 31 are shown as cooperating with four flat surfaces 32 on the shank 31 which corresponds to shank 12, but obstruction members 34 are wedge shaped and can be formed integrally with the ring35 which corresponds with the ring 22 of the first form described." The operation, however, is substantially the same, except that the adjustment'of the ob struction. members 34 is limited to a comparatively smaller angle, as there are in this instance four friction rollers 31 instead of the two friction rollers 18.

I claim: 1

In a clutching device, a shaft, means forming a smooth concentric surface with the periphery of the shaft and spaced therefrom, said shaft having a flat surface at s aced laces a wed 'in rollin' member disposed between each flat surface and the.

concentric surface, and obstructions alternating with the rolling members about the. shaft to prevent said rollers from wedging, said obstructions being carried by the shaft anol being capableof adjustment so as to be centrally positioned with respect to the flat surfaces or alternatel to .be disposed near a J. V

the flat surfaces. j

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. STOVER C. l/VINGER. 

